Tension device for winding-machines.



No. 838,046.. PATENTED DEG. 11, 1906.

J. 0. MoKEAN- TBNSJ ION DEVICE FOR WINDING MACHINES. APPLICATION rmm 06113. 1905.

WI NEE EE v INJEH U UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN O. MoKEAN, OF WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO FOSTER MACHINE COMPANY, OF WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS,

A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 11, 1906.

Application filed October 13, 1905.. Serial No. 282,542.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN O. McKEAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Westfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Tension Devices for Winding-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to thread-tension devices, and is particularly adaptable to compensating thread-tensions for winding-machines wherein the ball or cop by reason of the increase of its diameter as the process of winding progresses produces an increased speed of the thread passing to the ball or cop.

As is well known, it is desirable that the drag of the tension device through which the thread is delivered to the traveling guide which lays the ball or cop should be reduced as the winding proceeds and the cop grows so as to offset the tendency to increase the tension on the thread due to the increase in surface speed of the growing cop.

The practice of my invention involves the employment of the speed of the thread as the effective factor for bringing about that ad justment of drag on the thread which is to compensate for the increased thread-speed.

In the drawings hereto annexed I have shown a mechanism which contains my invention.

Figure 1 is a side view of one embodiment of my invention, and Fig. 2 is an end view thereof.

In said drawings, A represents a part of a winding-machine frame upon which are mounted relatively adjustable tension members. While any form of tension members may be used, such as the relatively movable pin-carrying arms shown in Fig. 1 of my Patent No. 7 53 ,7 24, I prefer that form shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein apair of tension-pins 10 and 11 is fixed toeach of a series of disksB, pivoted to a suitable bracket A .upon frame A. Each disk B is provided with a crank-arm C, as shown, secured to the disk-shaft D to rotate the disk and its pins. Each of the crank-arms O C is pivotally connected with the link E, so that all the disks are caused to rotate together. One of the grooved rim of said Wheel 3.

diskspreferably the upperone of the seriesis provided with a lever-arm B, by which that disk is actuated and imparts like movement to all the other disks through the crank-shaft E and the several crank-arms C C.

The thread is shown at T, passing in a zigzag course over the pins and from thence over the friction-operated adjuster, presently to be described, to the usual thread-guide of the machine. (Not shown.) The adjuster is, in effect, an auxiliary motor, itself actuated by the passing thread and in its turn actuating the lever B and its connecting parts and comprises as its movable and sensitive member the friction-wheel 3, Which is rotatively mounted upon a suitable portion of the frame A, so as to be susceptible to turn in response to the frictional drag of the thread T over the Obviously as the speed of the thread T increases the friction exerted upon the friction-wheel 3 also will increase, and I provide connections between the said frictionally-operated threadadjuster to the tension device, so that as the speed of the thread increases the corresponding increase in friction upon the adjuster will transmit its effect to the tension members so as to reduce their frictional drag upon the thread, and consequently to compensate for the increased speed of the thread by a reduction of the friction factor at the tension device. In order to accomplish this, I provide a Windlass-stud 4:, which is integral with or firmly secured to the friction-wheel 3 andis preferably axially coincident therewith.

The connection between the Windlass-stud and the tension device consists of a cord or strap 5, secured at one end to the side of the Windlass-stud 4 and at the other end to the arm or lever B, through which all the disks B and their tension-pins are actuated. The diameter of thewindlass-stud A is small as compared with the friction-wheel 3, and consequently the frictional effect or' drag of the thread T upon the wheel 3 exerts a multiplied power effect upon the cord 5, secured to the lever-arm B, and thus upon the tensiondisks B. The link E carries weights 8, which may be increased or diminished at will in order to vary the tension effect of the tensionpins 10 11. These weights 8 act in opposition to the pull of the cord 5.

As shown in the drawings, the tension has been reduced by the raising of weight 8 by the adjuster or auxiliary motor 3 4 from its lowest position in which the arms C would by weight 8 be drawn downward into a vertical position, and it will be obvious that the weight becomes constantly more effective by increased leverage as the arms 0 are swung fom the vertical position to a position perpendicular to the vertical position. As shown, the arms 0 have been moved about half this distance.

While the compensating tension device as heretofore described is effective to adjust the tension constant of the thread T to the increased speed due to the enlargement of the cop, I have found it advisable to provide the apparatus with a counterbalance which modifies the resultant effect of thread and friction thereof upon the friction-wheel. This counterbalance 2 is shown as mounted upon a crank-arm 13, which in turn is secured to the friction-wheel 3, so as to turn therewith. The crank-arm 13 and counterbalance 2 are so adjusted with relation to the other parts of the device that as the wheel 3 turns in response to the friction of the thread T the counterbalance 2 rises and approaches the gravitational dead-point immediately above the axis of the wheel 3. When the threadspeed becomes very high, the crank 13 is carried past the gravitational dead-point, the weight 2 adds its effect to the friction of the thread T upon the wheel 3, and this effect increases proportionately as the counterbalance 2 recedes from the gravitational deadpoint.

As the wheel 3 turns in response to friction of the thread T the cord 5 is wound upon the Windlass-stud 4 and draws the lever-arm B upward, thus causing the pins 10 and 11 to diminish the angular course of the thread about the pins, and thus to reduce the friction factor due to the operation of the tension pins. The cord 5 is connected with the stud. 4 at an angle, as shown in Fig. 2, so that it will wind upon the stud. spirally and not overlie itself as it would if it were connected perpendicularly with the stud.

Other specific forms of adjustable tension members and associated tensionadjuster may be employed without departure from the substance of my invention.

I claim 1. The combination in a compensating tension device, of an adjustable tension member and an adjuster'movable in response to thread friction, both engaging a moving thread frictionally, and connection between the adjuster and the tension member, to move the latter to position of diminished thread friction as the speed of the thread and consequent friction on the former is increased.

2. In a compensating tension device, the combination of an adjustable tension member, and a friction-wheel rotatable in response to thread friction, both to engage a moving thread frictionally, and connections between the friction-wheel and tension mem ber, to move the latter to a position of diminished thread friction as the former is moved by increased thread speed and friction consequent thereupon.

3. In a com ensating tension device, the combination 0' a pin-carrying tension member adjustable to vary the angularity of thread turns about the pins, said pins, and a friction-wheel to engage the thread passing from the tension member, a Windlass-stud operated by the friction-wheel and-a cord connection between said stud and the'tension member.

4. In a compensating tension device, the combination of a pin-carrying tension member relatively adjustable to vary the angularity of thread turns about the ins, said pins, a friction-wheel to engage t e thread passing from the tension member, a counterbalance carried by the friction-wheel, a windlass-stud operated by the friction-wheel, and a cord connection between said stud and tention member.

5. In a compensating tension device, the combination of an adjustable tension member, an adjuster comprising an auxiliary motor actuated by the passing thread, the tension member and auxiliary motor engaging the moving thread frictionally, and connections between the motor and the tension member to move the latter in a position of diminished thread friction as the speed of the thread and consequent frictional effect upon the motor is increased, and a counterweight actuated by the friction-wheel to supplement the effect of a moving thread thereon.

6. In a compensating tension device, the combination of an adjustable tension member, an adjuster comprising a tension-wheel movable in response to said friction, the tension member and friction-wheel to engage a moving thread frictionally, and connections between the friction-wheel and tension member to move the latter to a position of diminished thread friction as the speed of the thread and consequent frictional effect upon the wheel is increased, and a counterweight actuated by the friction-wheel to supplement the effect of a moving thread thereon.

7. In a compensating tension device, the combination of pin-carrying tension members, relatively adjustable to vary the angularity of the thread about the pins; a frictionwheel to engage the thread passing from the tension members, a counterbalance actuated by the friction-wheel and movable thereby in one direction toward and from a gravitational dead-point, and connections between the friction-Wheel and the pin-carrying tension members to adjust the latter by movement of the friction-Wheel.

Signed by me at Westfield, Massachusetts, this 5th day of October, 1905.

JOHN O. MOKEAN.

Witnesses:

- JOSEPH T. BRENNAN,

MARGARET A. DANIHER. 

